Lifting-jack



(No Model.)

0. F. SWELLIE.

LIFTING JACK.

No. 393,527. Patented Nov. 27, .1888.

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NITED STATES PATENT Orrice.

CHARLES F. SWELLIE, OF MITTINEAGUE, MASSACHUSETTS.

LiFTING-JACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,527, dated November27, 1888.

Application filed February 2, 1888. Serial No. 262,813.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. SWELLIE, of Mittineague, in the countyofHampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new anduseful Improvementin LiftingJacks, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive deviceby means of which a four-wheeled vehicle can be quickly and easilyelevated to and retained in a position in which each of its four wheelswill be free from the ground, and which device when not in use can becompactly folded together to economize space in storage.

To these ends my invention consists in the lifting-jack hereinafterfully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which likelet' ters designate like partsin the several figures, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of avehicle supported in an elevated position by a lifting -jack constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thelifting-jack as folded together when not in use. Fig. 3 is asimilar viewofa slightly-modifled form of the invention.

The letters A A designate two bars formed into handles at one end, whichbars will be of sufficient length relatively to the class of vehicleswith which the jack is designed to be used to extend beneath both axlesof the vehicle and beyond the end of the same, as shown in Fig. 1.. Saidbars are securely connected togethernear each end by cross-bars B B, andupon each of said cross-bars are pivoted two standards, C C, each pairof standards being connected together near their lower ends by braces DI). A third brace, E, is pivotally connected at each end to one of saidbraces D. By such construction the standards, while being firmly bracedin each direction, are adapted to be folded between bars A, as shown inFig. 2, the brace E preferably having a recess in its upper surface toreceive cross-bar B when the parts are in such position to enable thestandards to lie nearly parallel with bars A. When thus folded, the jackis adapted to be suspended upon hooks or nails in the (No modehl wall ofa stable, for example, or to be otherwise disposed within a very smallspace.

It is essential, of course, that the jack be provided with means wherebya vehicle after being elevated thereby can be retained in such elevatedposition, and in Fig. 1 I have shown as such means a chain, F, securedat one end to brace E and at its opposite end to cross-bar 13, wherebythe swinging movement of the standards upon the cross bars is stoppedslightly beyond a planeperpendicular to bars A. In Fig. 3 I have shownas such means stops a, secured to the inner sides of bars A in positiontolimit the movement of the standards, as just described.

To operate the lifting-jack thus constructed, the bars A are grasped bymeans of their handles and thrust beneath the vehicle, with thestandards resting upon the ground, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1.The operator then places his foot upon the brace D nearest him and drawsthe bars A toward him until such movement is stopped by the chain, whenthe parts will be in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1. Suchmovement of the bars A will elevate the vehicle more or less, accordingto the length of the standards, and the weight of the vehicle willretain the jack in such position until the former is moved in adirection opposite to the movement of the bars, as just described, asufficient distance to carry the standards past the perpendicular,whereupon the jack folds itself together and the vehicle is returned tothe ground. The extended leverage afforded by the standards relativelyto bars A renders the operation of elevating a vehicle of moderateweight-such as a carriage or light wagon-very easy for one person, andthe elevation of the entire vehicle at one operation enables the wheelsto be quickly removed and replaced for any purpose, or to be freelyrevolved to facilitate washing them.

wherever it may be desirable-as, for instance, upon the washing-fioor oflargestablesthe standards can be pivotally secured to such floor, andthe bars A provided with stops upon their upper surface, as indicated bybroken lines in Fig. 3, to be brought into contact with one of the axlesof the vehicle as the latter is moved over said bars, whereby by aslight 100 continuation of the movement of the vehicle the jack willautomatically elevate it above the floor, whether the vehicle be a lightor heavy one. Thelifting-jaek herein described is simple inconstruction, can be manufactured cheaply, and is perfect in itsoperation.

I am aware thatlifting-jacks have been heretofore devised by means ofwhich a vehicle can be elevated from the ground in such manner as toclear the four wheels thereof from the ground simultaneously; but suchpreviousimplements have been more or less complicated in constructionand have, so far as "I am aware, employed positive locking devices toretain the jack in its elevated position, which must be disengagedmanually before the vehicle can be lowered to the ground. Ashereinbefore stated, in the use of the lifting -jack herein Shown anddescribed a forward movement imparted to the vehicle itself will causethe jack to lower it to the ground, thus rendering it wholly unnecessaryto touch any portion of the jack after the vehicle is once elevatedthereon. This feature of my invention is of especial importance when thestandards are secured at their lower ends, by pivots or hinges, to thewashing door of a stable, and the bars A are provided with the stopsshown by broken lines in Fig. 3, as just described, inasmuch as both theelevation and lowering ofthc vehicle can be performed without touchingthe jack, and a great saving in time and labor in the use of the jack iseffected.

Having thus fully described my in vention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The lifting-jack herein described, composed of bars A A, cross-bars B13, standards 0, pivotally connected at their upper ends to saidcross-bars, braces D D and E, connecting said standards with each other,and a stop for limiting the movement of each of said staudardsin onedirection at a point slightly to one side of a line perpendicular tobars A A, ar ranged and operatingsubstantiallyasset fort-h.

2. The lifting -jack herein described, consisting of bars A A,cross-bars B 13, stand ards C, pivoted at their upper ends upon saidcrossbars, braces D I), uniting each pair of standards near their lowerends, brace E, unit:

ing said braces D D, and chain F, secured at one end to brace E and atits opposite end to one of the cross-bars, said chain being of suchlength as to stop the movement ofstandards G relatively to bars A A'inone direction when said standards are slightly to one side of a lineperrmndicular to said bars, arranged and operating substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

CHARLES F. SWELLIE. \Vitnesscs:

V. H. Charla-tn, J. E. CHAPMAN.

